For many families today marks the end of winter break. Kids are back in school and leisurely mornings are a thing of the past. That said I know a group of moms who commemorated the day with a back-to-school brunch. The meal involved quick and easy recipes that minimized time in the kitchen and maximized time chatting about how the holidays were spent. I skipped out on the day’s festivities, but I did get a rundown on the mid-morning menu and the recipes that received the most raves:
HAM AND EGG CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
6 cups cubed bread (about 12 slices)
8 to 12 ounces diced ham
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread cubes on bottom. Sprinkle with ham. Top with spinach, then cheese.
Beat together milk, eggs, mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper; pour mixture evenly over casserole.
Bake 1 hour.
Serves 12.
Tip: You can assemble this dish in less than 10 minutes by using thinly sliced ham (roughly chop the slices) and pre-shredded cheese from the dairy aisle.
CRANBERRY RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS
Ingredients:
1 box (15 to 17 ounces) Raisin Bran or bran flakes
3 cups sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 quart buttermilk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease or line muffin pans.
In a large bowl, combine cereal, sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and cranberries.
In another bowl, beat together eggs, oil and buttermilk. Stir into cereal mixture; mix well.
Fill muffin pans 3/4 full and bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes about 3 dozen.
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